When I left corporate life in 2012, I had no idea that I would find my true north in my teaching, in my writing, in my coaching and, just generally, in being of service to others. Finding true north feels like finding my place in the world, knowing that I am doing what I am supposed to be doing, finding my calling. To me, finding true north is about putting myself in a position to
accomplish my life goals.

If I hadn’t taken that leap of faith to walk away from my comfortable job and comfortable life, I would never have found my calling. Walking away was hard. Mostly because I went from a six figure salary to zero overnight. Not having an income made me re-assess my priorities. I could no longer spend money willy-nilly on whatever shiny object caught my eye. I had to ask myself whether I really needed to spend what little money I had.

Seven years out from walking away from that my comfortable life I am convinced more than ever that eschewing ease and comfort is the only way to live an epic life. Here are some of the things I’ve learned along the way.

 Taking a leap of faith without a plan is okay. Sometimes, we need to free ourselves of what we think we know and step into the unknown in order to find who we really are.
 Re-assessing what’s important to you and focusing on only that which is important to you simplifies your life. I can’t tell you how much easier it is to make decisions about everything in my life, from whether to eat that cookie to whether to take on additional work by simply asking myself whether it will help me to achieve my life goals or whether it will get in the way of me achieving my life goals. (Just between us, eating the cookie never gets in the way of achieving my life goals.)
 Being of service to others and doing good does not mean that you have to martyr yourself. It is possible to help others and to make a positive contribution to the world while still living a good life and not depriving yourself of things that give you pleasure. Living well and doing good are not mutually exclusive.
 It’s okay to follow your inner compass, even if it doesn’t line up with the views of those around you. It’s your life and you get to decide how you want to live it.
 It’s okay to make mistakes. If you never make any mistakes, it means you’re playing it safe and not pushing yourself to the edges of your limits. The only way to grow is to get stuff wrong, make mistakes, fall down. Great thing about falling down is that you get the chance to pick yourself up and figure out how to do it better the next time.

If you’re in that place where you’re feeling stuck in your life, think about taking a leap of faith to find your true north. I’m living proof that it’s worth it!